Cleric jailed over Bali bombs

An Indonesian court has sentenced fiery Muslim preacher Abu Bakar Bashir to two and a half years in jail after finding him guilty of an "evil conspiracy" to commit the 2002 Bali nightclub bombings.

The United States and Australia - which have both accused Bashir of being the spiritual leader of an Al Qaeda linked militant network called Jemaah Islamiah - quickly expressed disappointment that the sentence was not more severe.

A panel of judges said although Bashir had not been directly involved in the Bali blasts, he had in their opinion given approval for the attack, which killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists.

Hundreds of Bashir's supporters inside and outside the court reacted with outrage to the verdict, shouting and raising their fists in their air.

"The defendant has been proven legally and convincingly to have committed the crime of evil conspiracy that caused fire that left other people dead," chief judge Soedarto said, reading the Bali verdict.

"The defendant knew that the perpetrators of the bombing were people who have been trained in bomb-making in Pakistan and Afghanistan."

The court, guarded by 2,000 police, however found the 66-year-old cleric not guilty of involvement in the 2003 bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta that killed 12 people.

Prosecutors had sought eight years jail for Bashir on various terrorism and criminal charges related to the two bomb attacks. Both were blamed on Jemaah Islamiah.

The United States said it was disappointed.

"We respect the independence and judgment of the Indonesian courts, but given the gravity of the charges on which he was convicted, we're disappointed at the length of the sentence," said Max Kwak, a spokesman for the US embassy in Jakarta.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said: "It's of some concern to us that the sentence is as short as it is. We're disappointed about that. We'd like to see a longer sentence."

The Bali attacks killed 88 Australians.

Bashir's trial was seen as a test case for Indonesia's judicial attempts to grapple with terrorism, but analysts and independent lawyers said prosecutors were hampered by flimsy evidence and reluctant witnesses.

The five-judge panel said Bashir's sentence would have the 10 months he has already served deducted from it. A charge that Bashir inspired the bombings as Jemaah Islamiah chief was dropped earlier by prosecutors due to a lack of evidence.

Bashir had been charged with criminal acts of arson and explosion in relation to the October 2002 blasts on Bali, and under anti-terrorism laws in connection with the hotel bombing.

He has repeatedly denied all the charges and insists Jemaah Islamiah does not exist. His lawyers said they planned to appeal.

Angry supporters

Bashir earlier tried to calm his supporters.

"We are allowed to get angry. A ruling that does not free me is injustice," Bashir said as the session began. "But when we get angry, we must have our limits."

Many supporters raised their fists screaming "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) when the verdict was delivered.

Some stood on chairs as police formed a cordon around them.

As he was led away wearing his trademark white Muslim cap and with a white shawl wrapped around his shoulders, Bashir smiled broadly. Outside, his supporters waved banners and shouted anti-American, anti-Jewish and anti-Christian slogans.

Some had a picture of the US president with the eyes cut out and the caption: "Drag and hang Bush!"

Analysts said the verdict would be another black mark for Indonesia's legal system.

"I think the image of the Indonesian judicial system will be hurt by this," said Ikrar Nusa Bhakti, a political scientist from the Indonesian Science Institute.

However, Jakarta has won praise for trying and jailing dozens of militants involved in the Bali and Marriott hotel bombings. Three Bali bombers

have been sentenced to death.

The trial was the second time in recent years prosecutors have gone after Bashir over militant violence. Most charges in the previous trial were dropped, and Bashir only served 18 months for immigration offences.